Gurunath used to place bets through Vindoo

Gurunath Meiyappan, the team principal of two-time T20 league winners Chennai Super Kings (CSK), used to place bets through the book ‘Jack’ that Virendra Dara Singh Randhawa alias Vindoo operated.

Vindoo under sustained interrogation had told investigators that Meiyappan had placed bets. But the officials found further corroboration from one of two Lokhandwala models, who are being questioned.

The model has claimed that Meiyappan had told her during a phone conversation about how 'tense he was after losing Rs 10 lakh that he had lost after placing a bet on CSK. A senior crime branch officer requesting anonymity said, “The two models have claimed to have exchanged calls and SMS's with Meiyappan, after Vindoo introduced them to him. ''

The model also told police officials how she had herself incurred losses to the tune of Rs 16 lakh herself after placing bets on several matches. The police said that the two models, who originally hail from Hyderabad and Orrisa, have been residing at Lokhandwala area of Andheri west.

The two models have played small roles in certain Bollywood flicks and had come to the city to make a career in Bollywood. The duo got in touch with Vindoo at a party after he promised to help them with their career, the models claimed.

A senior IPS officer meanwhile said, '' We have enough evidence in the form of clues from other accused apart from Vindoo and scientific evidence to question Gurunath.'' The officer said that his name had cropped up during the investigations of other accused. '' We also have scientific proof against Meiyappan,'' the officer said.

The police added that one of the models had gone to Chennai three times in the past while another model had gone there once. The officer clarified that they had so far not come across any direct link toascertain that the models were being used as conduits so far. '' If we do find some evidence against the two models, there is a possibility of their arrest,'' said an officer.

The police added that while they had found the numbers of several models on Vindoo's phone but he was in touch with the two models constantly, hence we questioned them.